Announcing our new Program Officer

We are pleased to announce the hiring of Rebecca Judd to join our Chicago-based staff, where she will lead our land conservation grantmaking and related program work in the Chicago Wilderness region. In addition, Rebecca will work closely with Kerri Forrest in our Lowcountry office…

By David Farren The land conservation field has changed quite a bit since the 1980s, when Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley donated the pioneering conservation easement on Ashepoo, their 10,000 acre hunting retreat in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. This action helped spark the Ace…

Why Art Matters

“When power leads man towards arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the areas of man’s concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses, for art establishes the basic human truths which must…

Vivian Donnelley (1946 – 2018)

We are saddened to announce the passing of board member, Vivian Donnelley. For over a decade, she served as a thoughtful influence on the board in carrying forward the family legacy, and a steady, wise voice in helping to shape the direction of the Foundation….

Longstanding Federal Land Conservation Programs Remain in the Crosshairs

Shortly after the new administration arrived in Washington in January 2017, our board of directors began inviting grantees to its meetings to discuss potential threats to federal support for land conservation and arts and culture – our core mission areas. The conversations confirmed the degree…

Charleston Parks Conservancy

In 2016, the Foundation awarded a $10,000 project grant to Redux and Charleston Parks Conservancy to develop a plan for public art in the local parks. The grant allowed the partners, along with the City of Charleston to attend the AFTA workshop on public art…

Small shift, big impact – three-year grants for Chicago arts grantees

The difference between two and three might seem small, but at the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, we think the difference between two and three is very important. Which is why beginning with the July 2018 grant cycle, the Foundation will move all 170 Chicago…